FOOTNOTES

by Unknown · from Folk Tales Every Child Should Know

informative Ages all ages 3286 words 15 min read

Adapted Version

CEFR A1 Age 5 630 words 3 min Canon 100/100

Do you know about Inari Sama? He is a very kind god. He is from Japan. He helps the rice grow. He has special fox friends too!

Inari Sama is a very kind god. He lives in Japan. He helps many people. He helps the farmers. He makes the rice grow. Rice is important food. Inari Sama makes it strong. He makes it tall. He has special friends. These friends are foxes. They are very smart. They are very loyal. They help Inari Sama. They are always near him.

Inari Sama loves all people. He wants them to be happy. He helps them every day. He helps the farmers work. He makes their fields green. The rice plants grow. They grow tall. They grow very strong. Good rice feeds many people. Happy people eat good rice. Inari Sama likes happy people. He likes to see them smile.

The Fox Friends are special. They are always with Inari Sama. They are very quick. They are very smart. They have soft fur. They have bushy tails. They run through the green fields. They watch over the rice plants. They keep the rice safe. They help Inari Sama. They wag their tails. They are very loyal friends. They love Inari Sama. They love to help.

One sunny day, Inari Sama walked. He walked slowly. He walked near a big rice field. The sun was warm. The sky was blue. His Fox Friends ran with him. They ran around his feet. They played in the grass. They jumped high. They chased each other. A small boy was near. He was close to the field. He looked down. He looked for something special. He looked on the ground carefully.

The boy found a small coin. It was very old. It was a brown color. This coin was called a Bu. A Bu was old Japanese money. It was a small coin. It was a good coin. The boy held it tight. He smiled a big smile. Inari Sama saw him. Inari Sama smiled too. He was happy for the boy. The rice grew well. The farmers had good crops. People had enough food. They had enough money. This made Inari Sama very glad. The Fox Friends barked softly. They wagged their tails. They were happy too. Inari Sama helps everyone. He gives good things. He helps the rice grow. He helps people live well. He helps them be happy.

This story is a special gift. It is part of a very big book. This book has many, many stories. It has stories for all children. It helps children learn new things. It helps them dream big dreams. It helps them imagine. This book is full of wonder.

This book is free for you. It is a special gift. It is a gift for everyone. You can read it today. You can read it tomorrow. You can share it with your friends. You do not need to pay any money. Sharing stories is very good. It makes many people happy. You can read this story again. You can give this book to others. Sharing makes reading fun. It helps everyone enjoy stories. It helps friends enjoy together. It brings joy to many.

Many kind people helped. They worked very hard. They made this book free. They want all children to read. They want all children to learn new things. These people are very good. They help share many stories. They help children everywhere in the world. They want you to have good books. They want you to be happy. They want you to learn. So, this book is a gift. It is a gift from them. You can read it. You can share it. Sharing stories makes everyone happy! It makes the world a better place.

Original Story 3286 words · 15 min read

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Bu. This coin is generally called by foreigners "ichibu," which means "one bu." To talk of "a hundred ichibus" is as though a Japanese were to say "a hundred one shillings." Four bus make a riyo, or ounce; and any sum above three bus is spoken of as so many riyos and bus—as 101 riyos and three bus equal 407 bus. The bu is worth about 1s. 4d.

[2] Inari Sama is the title under which was deified a certain mythical personage, called Uga, to whom tradition attributes the honour of having first discovered and cultivated the rice-plant. He is represented carrying a few ears of rice, and is symbolized by a snake guarding a bale of rice grain. The foxes wait upon him, and do his bidding. Inasmuch as rice is the most important and necessary product of Japan, the honours which Inari Sama receives are extraordinary. Almost every house in the country contains somewhere about the grounds a pretty little shrine in his honour; and on a certain day of the second month of the year his feast is celebrated with much beating of drums and other noises, in which the children take a special delight. "On this day," says the O-Satsuyô, a Japanese cyclopædia, "at Yeddo, where there are myriads upon myriads of shrines to Inari Sama, there are all sorts of ceremonies. Long banners with inscriptions are erected, lamps and lanterns are hung up, and the houses are decked with various dolls and figures; the sound of flutes and drums is heard, and people dance and make holiday according to their fancy. In short, it is the most bustling festival of the Yeddo year."

[3] A Buddhist prayer, in which something approaching to the sounds of the original Sanscrit has been preserved. The meaning of the prayer is explained as, "Save us, eternal Buddha'" Many even of the priests who repeat it know it only as a formula, without understanding it.

[4] An island on the west coast of Japan, famous for its gold mines.

[5] The author of the tale.

[6] This is intended as an insult. "Azhdaja," a dragon, is feminine in Servian.

[7] From "Pawnee Hero Stories and Folk Tales." Copyright, 1890, by George Bird Grinnell; published by Charles Scribner's Sons.

[8] An old Suffolk tale, given in the dialect of East Anglia.

[9] Battle-cry of the Cossacks.

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Story DNA

Plot Summary

This document is primarily composed of explanatory footnotes for various cultural terms (Japanese currency, deities, prayers, geography, and other folk tale origins) followed by the complete Project Gutenberg License. The license details the terms for using and distributing Project Gutenberg's electronic works, including copyright information, disclaimers, and information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and donation methods. It is not a narrative story but rather supplementary and legal text.

Emotional Arc

none

Writing Style

Voice: third person omniscient
Pacing: slow contemplative
Descriptive: sparse

Narrative Elements

Conflict: none
Ending: none

Cultural Context

Origin: American (for Project Gutenberg license) and various (for footnote references)
Era: timeless (for legal document) / 19th-early 20th century (for folk tale context)

The text contains references to specific cultural elements from Japan, Native American traditions, and English folklore, indicating its origin as supplementary material for a collection of diverse folk tales. The Project Gutenberg license reflects modern digital distribution and copyright law.

Plot Beats (5)

  1. The text begins with a series of numbered footnotes, explaining terms like 'Bu' (a Japanese coin), 'Inari Sama' (a Japanese deity), a Buddhist prayer, and 'Sado' (an island).
  2. It then transitions to the end-of-ebook notice for 'FOLK TALES EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW' from Project Gutenberg.
  3. The bulk of the text is dedicated to 'THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE', detailing the terms of use and redistribution for Project Gutenberg electronic works.
  4. This license covers general terms of use, copyright information, disclaimers of warranty, limitations of liability, and indemnity clauses.
  5. It also provides information about the mission of Project Gutenberg, the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, and how to make donations.

Characters

✦

Uga (Inari Sama)

mythical personage ageless male

A mythical figure, deified as Inari Sama. He is traditionally depicted carrying a few ears of rice. He is also symbolized by a snake guarding a bale of rice grain.

Attire: Not explicitly described, but as a deified figure, would wear ancient Japanese attire, possibly simple, flowing robes made of natural fibers, perhaps in muted earth tones, signifying his connection to agriculture.

Wants: To provide sustenance and prosperity through the cultivation of rice.

Flaw: Not applicable; he is a deified figure.

Not applicable; he is a static, deified figure.

Carrying a few ears of rice, or symbolized by a snake guarding a bale of rice grain.

Benevolent, foundational, provider, revered.

✦

Foxes of Inari Sama

animal (fox) adult non-human

Typical Japanese red foxes, known for their intelligence and mystical associations. They are often depicted with sleek, agile bodies and bushy tails.

Attire: None, as they are animals, but in some depictions, they might wear a red bib (yodarekake) or hold a scroll or key in their mouths, signifying their role as messengers or guardians.

Wants: To serve Inari Sama and carry out his bidding.

Flaw: Not explicitly stated, but their loyalty might be exploited.

Not applicable; they are static, symbolic figures.

A Japanese red fox, often with a red bib, poised and alert.

Loyal, obedient, mystical, cunning (implied by fox folklore).

Locations

Inari Sama Shrine (Yeddo)

outdoor day Second month of the year (late winter/early spring), bustling festival atmosphere

A small, pretty shrine dedicated to Inari Sama, the deified mythical personage who discovered and cultivated the rice-plant. It is adorned with long banners bearing inscriptions, lamps, and lanterns. The surrounding houses are decorated with various dolls and figures.

Mood: Festive, lively, spiritual, joyful, bustling

The annual feast of Inari Sama is celebrated here with much noise and merriment, especially enjoyed by children.

small wooden shrine long banners with inscriptions hanging lamps and lanterns decorated houses dolls and figures drums and flutes